For those who followed me on Instagram should know that I just came back from Osaka!

I've been raving to my mum how much I love Osaka and I'm glad that this time, I'm able to bring her along for the trip. It's her first time there and also our first to Universal Studios Japan™, super excited! :D

I've heard so much about Universal Studios Japan™ from everyone around me and for those who are still thinking whether or when you should visit, this is actually the best time as it's Halloween!

Below are some of the reasons why YOU SHOULD VISIT Universal Studios Japan™ for Halloween:

1. Halloween Inspired Food

Can I just say how creepily cute they are? SUPER!

2. Halloween Theme Day & Night Parade

3. Halloween Merchandise

4. Get Spooked!

Get yourself ready for some scary fun walking around the Universal Studios Japan™ or visit their Halloween horror maze!

5. Butter Beer, Butter Beer, Butter Beer!

Although, it’s not really Halloween theme… everyone is here for the Butter Beer!
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ is something you shouldn’t miss!

Apart from Universal Studios Japan™, if you guys have time, do also go visit Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan! It's one of the largest aquariums in the world and you can get to see manta rays, penguins and whale sharks up-close.

As I embarked on my journey into adulthood, some things become increasingly important to me. Managing my time, money and relationships. Most importantly, my health. Often, we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we take our health for granted. One of the habits that I’ve consciously picked up is drinking plenty of water.

You’ve probably heard of all the benefits of drinking enough water throughout the day – maximised physical performance, increased energy levels and brain function. The list goes on....

For me, I make sure that I drink at least a glass of water when I wake up every morning. I also try to constantly remind myself to drink water when I’m at work, and it definitely helps when I have a stylish tumbler to keep my fluids in.

I find that having a tumbler on my desk is a great reminder for me to hydrate myself and it works! I’ve been using Drynk from Vaya Life which features a one-of-a-kind insulation that keeps liquids hot for up to 12 hours or 18 hours cold.

I usually love to drink hot drinks (Milo, hot chocolate, tea etc.), so it really comes in handy by keeping my drink warm throughout the day instead of having to change out.

It comes in 2 sizes, 350ml and 600ml. Perfect for working adults like us who are either out and about going for meetings, or even in the office. You can even use it for your post-workout shakes or when you get a drink at Starbucks (there’s a discount for using your own Tumbler).

If you’re trying to go green like me, you’d be glad to know that you won’t see a straw in sight with their two interchangeable lids. Called Sipper and Gulper, they make drinking your favourite drinks a very different experience.

Sipper has a magnetic lid to stop the lid from hitting your nose like many other tumblers. It also helps cover the ingenious spout area that allows for an ideal flow of liquids and ensures that it’s always hygienic.

Gulper is the other detachable lid that essentially works like a cocktail shaker!

The top is actually two small cups stacked on top of one another where you could pour the contents into. That makes guzzling down any drink so much easier!

Another great design feature that really sealed the deal for me was the shape of the body. Made with stainless steel, the body is perfectly shaped to fit into most car holders. As I’m always on the go, it’s important for me to have it sat within my arms reach when I’m dashing around the city in cars.

The body is also textured in a way that makes holding the tumbler a breeze and the material allows for easy cleaning. With an anti-slip coaster base, I don’t have to worry about spillage on my work desk when things get a little hectic.

It comes in various colours and I’m sure once you guys use it, it will become an essential item in your day-to-day activities. Check out Drynk and other useful products by Vaya Life here: https://vayalife.com/sg-en/products

We’re now living in a cashless world. Everything is all about credit card payments and “tap to pay”, but if you’re anything like me you know that this new technology is evil! Tap here tap there, it’s so easy to get carried away and spend more than you should. Many times, I do get a shock when I receive my credit card bills because of some purchases that I don’t even remember myself.

With cash on hand, it’s easier to control your spending. You know your budget and spend within your means. Although tbh, I’m not really a fan of carrying cash around as I find it a hassle, especially when you need to handle with coins. But we can’t deny that it’s more foolproof when it comes to shopping, especially if you tend to make impulsive purchases. Or at times, it can be really useful when it comes to some places that you can only pay by cash and not by any other mode of payment.

But that being said, finding ATMs to withdraw money can be a slight problem! When you don’t need them, they’re everywhere, and when you do, they’re nowhere to be found. I’m sure you guys know what I mean. I still remember months back, during my bff’s wedding lunch and one of her invited guest needed to change some cash and I offered to help to go withdraw money for him. To my horror, I couldn’t find any ATMs nearby and headed back full of sweat (as I’m in my suit) with no cash on hand for the guest.

Ever since I’ve discovered it, it has been a superior upgrade from withdrawing money via ATMs.

With soCash, you just need choose how much you would like to withdraw via the app and it will find the nearest cashpoint based on your current location. I was at Orchard the other day for meeting and I did my first withdrawal with soCash at 7-11 near Forum!

The app even shows $1 deals that are available at the 7-11 stores! Though majority of shops in their network do not require any purchases for cash withdrawal, it is mandatory over at 7-11. Therefore, they have this helpful feature that shows us the best deal to get from 7-11 if we are planning to withdraw any cash there.

Upon arrival, you can pick up the cash from the merchant and the app will deduct the sum straight from your bank account. How convenient! It rules out the machines, atm card, a pin code…. and all is needed is just the app.

Simply show them the QR code and they will scan it and pass you the cash after!

It’s that simple and easy! *ka-ching*

This way we won’t need to bother over ATM machine problems like long queues, lack of cash in the machine, machine breakdown, etc. Withdrawing money has become even more convenient and it’s actually really safe too.

The app doesn’t store any of your important information, so there is no way you can get hacked or run into any other safety issue. Because they have such strong safety features, soCash is backing all users up with a 100% guarantee coverage, a money safe guarantee if any issues arise.

As mentioned earlier, using cash allows you to better track your spending, so you don’t overspend or get into credit card debts, The best part? soCash also gives you FREE CASH!

Receive $5 FREE CASH (after your first withdrawal) when you download and sign up for soCash now!

And you will also receive ANOTHER $5 for FREE after your 4th withdrawal. How awesome is this? There’s no reason not to download since they are giving away FREE CASH to all of us!

Apart from the FREE CASH, they also give out special deals and goodies regularly to the users. You can also invite friends to soCash and you can get $3 of FREE CASH too! So why not download and try it out? Especially if you are a DBS, POSB and Standard Chartered user. The next time when you stumble across shops that do cash only payments like the hawker centre or at the next night market (aka pasar malam)... you will be well prepared like I am!

Everyone knows how shopping makes us happy, and if you know me well enough you will realize that I do it best online! Why? Firstly, the deals are too good to be true, most of the time even better than buying from physical stores. Secondly, it’s super convenient because I can do it anywhere and anytime. Work have been taking up so much of my time and I don’t really have the luxury to shop as often anymore.

Also, online is where I can shop from various brands around the globe that suit my style. I’m sure you guys will agree that sometimes it’s pretty hard to find certain fashion items here in Singapore, so why not just do my shopping on e-commerce sites?

The major downside for me though is the exchange rate from foreign currencies to SGD as well as the hidden conversion costs. I’m sure you all understand the dilemma of when you think you’re spending this much and then when you receive the monthly statement it’s like, surprise! $$$$!! It can get frustrating at times when you don’t know the conversion fees and sometimes it might turn out to be more expensive than what you thought.

That’s why I turn to the DBS Multi-Currency Account (MCA). This account is perfect for those, like me, who love to shop online for overseas brands and travel frequently.

So what does it do? Well, it gives you access to buy any of the 12 foreign currencies at favourable rates. You can buy it at any time of the day, and they can even send you a FX alert when the rate you’re after is met!

Once you have purchased the currency at your preferred rate, your MCA is funded with the foreign currency you transferred. The MCA is like a savings account for multiple (up to 12) foreign currencies, where you can pay directly for purchases in that particular currency. This way, you no longer have to pay for exorbitant exchange rates or be subjected to any extra FX charges (especially the dreaded double conversion fees) ever again. What a smart way to shop online! Note that Renminbi (CNH) is not available for the direct payment feature.

Of course, when given a chance I jumped on it. I mean any methods to save while I shop is a good one to me! So here are some pictures from my recent online shopping spree and what I’ve got.

I did my shopping on kooding.com, an online website that offers Korean & American style for both guys and girls.

With the help of the MCA and DBS Visa Debit Card, the exchange rate is lowered to $1.00 = SGD$1.3 and it only cost $$172.90. Yes, moolah saved! So why the difference in $$$?

As mentioned earlier, by using the MCA, there will not be any conversion charges or any other hidden charges when you shop online anymore. The foreign currencies that were purchased was saved in my MCA and funds were directly debited for my overseas purchases.

Not only that, the MCA also benefits frequent travelers, like myself, as well as investors. Here’s a list of its benefits and features:

I enjoy travelling and do so pretty often for work. This account is also an excellent tool for me to utilize on my travels. Using the MCA, I will be able to buy foreign currency at my favorable rates leading up to my trip. With my DBS Visa Debit Card (linked to the MCA), not only can I conveniently pay for my items in their local currency but also at no extra FX fees. Plus, I can also withdraw cash from the local ATMs globally. It is perfect as I don’t like to carry bulky cash overseas simply because it is pretty unsafe to do so.

Whether shopping overseas or online, spend in foreign currencies to enjoy 5% cashback with your DBS Multi-Currency Account and DBS Visa Debit Card from 5 June to 31 August 2018!

For anyone looking to invest in foreign markets or purchase shares overseas, you can easily do so with the MCA and DBS Vickers Account. With the help of DBS, you can perform foreign currency trades in up to 7 overseas markets too.

To learn more about the DBS Multi-Currency Account, visit: https://bit.ly/2jNcwmY and you could now also save more money when you shop, travel and invest!

This article is sponsored by DBS, all opinions are of my own.*Terms & Conditions apply. SGD deposits are insured up to S$50k by SDIC.